Philip Kendall appointed as next Tristan da Cunha Administrator
Philip Kendall at the Foreign Office
On 17th May 2023, the Governor of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha HE Nigel Phillips CBE wrote to Chief Islander James Glass to formally announce the appointment of Philip Kendall as the next Administrator of Tristan da Cunha.
In his letter, Mr Phillips said:
"Mr Philip Kendall is a highly experienced diplomat, currently serving as the Deputy Head of Mission of our Embassy in North Korea.
As we have discussed on several occasions, the forthcoming period will be especially important for Tristanians. Determining the future of the lobster concession has implications for national revenue and opportunities for access. Beyond this, ensuring the Public Service is able to deliver the services and infrastructure upon which the community relies is key to a functional government. And of course, there is an absolute necessity to maintain good governance, something I know you and the Island Council are completely committed to upholding. It is my strong belief that Philip is well placed to contribute across the waterfront of such matters, as well as the myriad other responsibilities that fall to the Administrator.
Philip and his wife Louise plan to arrive on Tristan aboard the September 2023 sailing of the S.A. Agulhas II. I know you, the Council and the community will want to welcome them as you did Emma and myself. In the meantime, we will work with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office as well as yourself to ensure Philip is as well prepared as possible."
Photo by Chris Carnegy showing
Tristan Chief Islander James Glass, HE Governor Nigel Phillips
and Tristan Administrator-Designate Philip Kendall when they met in London on 8th May 2023.
Philip Kendall has since commented:
"I am delighted to have been appointed as the next Administrator to Tristan da Cunha. I look forward very much to arriving in September and getting to know the Islanders. As keen walkers and amateur photographers, Louise and I are excited by the prospect of exploring the island and seeing the beauty that Tristan has to offer."
Short Biography
Philip Kendall became Deputy Head of Mission, British Embassy Pyongyang in August 2020.
He is a career diplomat with over 30 years of experience and 4 previous overseas postings – Tel Aviv (1986 to 1988), Budapest (1992 to 1996), Vienna (1996 to 2002) and Seoul (2014 to 2019).
Philip has a BA (Hons) in Language Studies and speaks Korean, German and Hungarian.